U.S. patent number 4,362,329 [Application Number 06/148,296] was granted by the patent office on 1982-12-07 for mobile service vehicle.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Countdown. Invention is credited to Michael Bell, Daniel E. Hausch, Dennis Laube.
United States Patent |
4,362,329 |
Laube , et al. |
December 7, 1982 |
Mobile service vehicle
Abstract
A mobile vehicle service station including an enclosed service
vehicle to provide an indoor-like working area similar to a bay for
servicing other vehicles. The extendable bay comprises the rear
doors opening into two side walls and top member outwardly
extending from a closed position at the rear of the service vehicle
to engaging the upper portion of the open doors. The one end of the
bay at the rear portion of the vehicle includes means for lowering
its floor to ground level; whereas the end opposite thereof,
enclosed on three sides as aforesaid, is open to permit the entry
of the vehicle to be worked upon. The service station vehicle
includes the necessary apparatus, test instruments, tools, power
source, spare parts, and the like for the intended service or
repairs.
Inventors: |
Laube; Dennis (Wapakoneta,
OH), Bell; Michael (Gahanna, OH), Hausch; Daniel E.
(Findlay, OH) |
Assignee: |
Countdown (Columbus,
OH)
|
Family
ID: |
22525148 |
Appl.
No.: |
06/148,296 |
Filed: |
September 4, 1980 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
296/26.11;
296/165 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60P
3/14 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
B60P
3/14 (20060101); B60P 003/34 () |
Field of
Search: |
;296/26,165,172,176,169,27 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Song; Robert R.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Cennamo; Anthony D.
Claims
We claim:
1. A mobile repair/service vehicle, having a pair of horizontally
swinging doors at its rear opening, modified to provide a service
bay, comprising:
a roof structure hingedly connected along the upper portion of the
rear opening of the vehicle,
said roof structure raisable to extend rearwardly and outwardly of
the rear opening over said service bay from a lowered upright
position extending vertically at the rear of the inside of the
vehicle, and means for maintaining said roof structure in its
raised position in cooperation with the rear doors when open;
the rearmost portion of the floor of said vehicle having means for
lowering said floor portion from its normal height to ground
level,
said portion of floor further including an extendable portion
hingedly connected thereto to extend from a closed upright position
to an open position resting on the ground.
2. The service vehicle of claim 1 wherein said roof structure
further includes means for locking the same into position with said
rear doors when open.
3. The service vehicle of claim 2 wherein said roof structure
further includes a second hinge and wherein said locking means is
at a position substantially lower than the top of said two
doors.
4. The service vehicle of claim 1 wherein said means for lowering
said floor is a power means.
5. The service vehicle of claim 1 further comprising power means
for opening said roof structure to extend over said bay area.
Description
BACKGROUND
It is well known in the prior art to include in a truck repair
station apparatus for the repair of other vehicles. Such mobile
repair stations were used extensively during World War I and II as
being part of the vehicle caravan.
There is also known in the prior art vehicles whose interiors have
been modified to include apparatus to provide mobile service. The
services and the intended apparatus included for the service
vehicle varies from car repair, to poodle grooming, to carpet
cleaning.
Trucks and similar vehicles have been modified to have appendages,
such as tool boxes, trucks, and tire wells extend from the vehicle
from a recessed position.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,697,123 there is disclosed a van type of truck
having included therein an assortment of auto repair apparatus. In
the vehicles there is also an extendable roof structure with
curtain-like side drops. Although the concept of providing a mobile
vehicle repair station is suggested in this prior art patent, it's
completeness for it's intended purpose is crude at best.
Specifically, this prior patent does not provide an "indoor"
condition repair station. The drop curtain of the prior art patent
will be a partial wind break, but will not provide a complete
enclosure from all of the elements to simulate an indoor bay for
servicing a vehicle. For instance, means for heating the extended
area is not suggested in the prior patent and would be most useless
if attempted.
The modified vehicles that provide service structure extendable
from a recessed position, do not suggest in any manner the creation
of a service bay for servicing other vehicles.
The trucks, vans, and other vehicles modified interiorly to provide
specialized services do not suggest a repair station or bay
extendable therefrom the workpiece vehicle.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention has as it's intended purpose providing a
mobile service station or bay for servicing other vehicles. The
mobile service vehicle is modified interiorly to provide apparatus
necessarly for the intended repairs or service to the automobile.
Additionally the mobile vehicle includes a power source for the
operation of the power tools, lights, etc. Also, included is a heat
source for heating the interior of the body of the mobile service
vehicle and for heating the service bay when an attendant is
servicing another vehicle.
To recreate an interior service station or bay the two rear
horizontally swinging doors are opened to form the two side walls
thereof. With the doors open, a hinged flat-like structure is
lifted to extend over the area and engage the upper portion of the
two open walls. The rear portion of the floor of the service
vehicle includes power means to lower the same to ground level, and
thereby complete the bay area for servicing other vehicles.
In addition to the power source providing power for tools, test
instruments and the such, the power source also provides
electricity for the power lifts for the floor.
OBJECTS
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the present invention to
provide with a mobile service station an enclosure that simulates
an indoor service bay for servicing automobiles.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a mobile
service station with a service bay that is insulated from the
elements, lighted, heated, and floored from the ground.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become
apparent from the following detailed description when taken in
conjunction with the drawings in which:
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the invention
illustrating the service bay in it's closed and mobile position,
and
FIG. 2 is a similar view to that of FIG. 1 except that the service
bay is in it's extended position from the mobile vehicle and ready
for it's operational use.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
With particular reference to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate
the service vehicle modified in accordance with a preferred
embodiment of the invention to provide a service bay for servicing
other vehicles. FIG. 1 illustrates the modification in this
recessed or closed position; whereas FIG. 2 illustrates the
modification in its open position to provide a service bay.
In FIG. 1 the vehicle 10 is a standard commercial vehicle. It has a
box-like truck area. To the rear of the truck are two doors 12 and
14 hingedbly openable outwardly. Principally the modification
comprises the roof structure 50 hinges at hinge 52 to set
vertically at the rear of the vehicle adjacent and inside the
closed doors. Vertically in line with structure 50 is an extended
floor structure upraised to also set vertically at the rear of the
vehicle adjacent and inside the closed door.
In the recessed or closed position the outside vehicle appears
unmodified.
In the open or operational position the modification and added
structure is extended as shown in FIG. 2. Initially, the two rear
doors 12 and 14 are swung open. In FIG. 2 the nearest door 14 is
removed in order to illustrate the inside positioning and locking
of the roof structure 50. The configuration of the inside of door
14 is a mirror image of that of the inside of door 12.
The roof structure 50 is lifted via hinges 52 and 54 to extend
horizontally over the service area. The overall length of structure
50 is somewhat longer than the width of the open door 12. In this
way, although the structure 50 forms a roof structure, it also
provides an environmental protective area for the upper 1/3-1/2 of
the rear of the open truck. To maintain the structure 50 in perhaps
a 30.degree.-45.degree. angle its foremost end 56 engages and locks
with the interlock 58 positioned on the inside of the door 12.
Returning to the roof structure 50, there is provided in a
preferred embodiment power means 40 to mechanically and easily open
the structure 50. The end of the piston arm 42 rides within a
groove positioned in the edges of the structure 50.
Next the floor 20 is lowered via power jacks 22 and 24, 26 and 28
from its normal position to that of resting on the ground surface.
In the preferred embodiment power means 22/24 are in pairs for each
side of the vehicle. Power to these power jacks is provided by the
apparatus within the service vehicle.
With the floor 20 lowered to the ground level the extendable floor
structure 30 is lowered via hinge 32 to horizontally rest on the
ground surface also.
It can now be seen that the created surface area has two sides,
partly the open rear door and the other part the inside of the
service truck. The roof structure 50 extends from the roof 11 of
the truck 10 to provide a roof for that portion of the open doors
and also to provide environmental protection to the open end of the
service truck.
The portion below the lowermost end of the roof surface 50 is
sufficiently high to permit the entry of the front portion of a
vehicle to be serviced. Once inside, the hood of the vehicle is
opened and its natural open position will be adjacent to the inside
of the roof structure 50.
Also in operation, the vehicle being serviced will rest over the
extended floor 30, thereby providing a continuous floor at ground
level for the operator to stand on.
* * * * *